Female footy alive and well in Lindisfarne

FEMALE footy is alive and kicking on the Eastern Shore with the Lindisfarne Football Club’s new Southern Football League (SFL) women’s side competing in its first match in the SFL Women’s regional competition.

The new ‘Typeface Lindisfarne Blues’, which were created in partnership between the Lindisfarne Junior Football Club and Lindisfarne AFL Masters Club, tested out their skills when they went head-to-head against the South East Suns at Anzac Park in late April.

Lindisfarne female football director Andrew Moore said the new SFL women’s side offered a pathway to AFL for female footballers on the Eastern Shore.

He said it also provided a link for the club’s three Southern Tasmania Junior Football League (STJFL) sides.

“The new start-up SFL team enables a pathway for girls on the Eastern Shore to continue playing football once they transition from the under 17s,” he said.

“It also capitalises on the momentum created by the AFL Women’s (AFLW) competition and harnesses the willingness of former Clarence Tasmanian State League player Jodie Mather to coach the team after a recent injury curtailed her playing career.”

Mr Moore said the SFL club was hoping to secure further support through a community grant from the Clarence City Council.

“Local printing firm Typeface had already signed on as naming rights sponsor and the Beltana Hotel and Employsure have jumped on board to sponsor the team as well,” he said.

The Typeface Lindisfarne Blues match acted as the inaugural launch of the SFLW competition in Tasmania.

SFL president Madeleine Ogilvie said community football had embraced the women’s competition and she expected SFLW to increase in strength and numbers over the coming years.

“Tasmania is a footy loving state and I was honoured to launch the first SFLW competition our state has seen,” she said.

“It is essential that we have a strong community-based women’s competition to put ourselves in the best position for a national AFLW team.

“Our first SFLW games set the mark for the reinvigoration of community football in Tasmania and we are keen to welcome everyone through our gates to cheer the women along.”

The Lindisfarne STJFL teams train on Friday nights at Anzac Park and play every Sunday afternoon.

The women’s SFL side trains on Thursday evening and plays most games on a Sunday.

For more information about the STJFL teams, contact Andrew Moore on 0408 284 228 and for more information on the women’s SFL side, contact Jodie Mather on 0417 903 777.

Caption: New SFL women’s side, the Typeface Lindisfarne Blues, ahead of their inaugural match against the South East Suns in late April.